Kremlin spokesman admits Putin’s press service uses a VPN to bypass Russia’s Telegram restrictions
The Kremlin intends to maintain its official Telegram channel, even as Russia increases restrictions on the platform, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
In response to questions from journalists, Peskov said that the Kremlin isn’t experiencing difficulties with the messaging app, noting that it also has an official broadcast channel on the state-backed messaging platform Max.
When asked specifically if the Kremlin press service uses VPNs to manage its Telegram channel, Peskov replied: “Somebody somewhere does.” “We have many compatriots abroad,” he explained. “Many foreigners are interested in the presidential agenda, and it’s in our interests to communicate this agenda to them.”
Russian authorities began restricting Telegram in the summer of 2025, blocking video calls. Following widespread service disruptions in February, the federal censorship agency, Roskomnadzor, announced it was rolling out further restrictions. According to the Telegram-based news outlet Baza, the messenger may be fully blocked in Russia starting April 1 — a claim Roskomnadzor has neither confirmed nor denied.
